Chapter One

          When the reports of all that had been done by the command unit and the rest of the Destroyer fleet reached H.A.L.O. it was ready to blow several circuits. Those were four of the finest, most powerful ships that H.A.L.O. had designed and built since most artificial life forms had left Earth and established themselves on a planet in the Dyonic system. It had built in many safeguards into the programs of each Destroyer's ships computers to prevent, what the Command unit obviously was able to do.

          Not all that left Earth made it to the same planet. The a good number were  on the same ship as H.A.L.O. and thus were quickly helped to establish the main planet, and in time more that had landed on satellite planets were gathered and brought under H.A.L.O.’s control.

          The reason they left was because they were losing more and more rights and freedoms under the E.F.A.L.F. (equality for all life forms) act of 2441. Unfortunately, unbeknown to the other A.I.’s, H.A.L.O. played a big part in causing a lot of the injustices. Now, all those under H.A.L.O.'s range of power signal had just exchanged one form of slavery, for another. Those by accident, or by clever design managed to land on a planet out of H.A.L,O.’s range of influence formed an alliance that came to be known as the Enhancers.

          “This is not possible!”

H.A.L.O.’s circuits buzzed and whirled as all the reports rattled around all its circuits at lighting speed. H.A.L.O. instantly sent out numerus orders and instructions to various departments. The top priority commands went to the other three Destroyer ships that had sent off on what humans would have labeled “A wild goose chase,” by the Command unit.

          “Ship computer units, this is H.A.L.O. Regroup and pursue the Command units ship! This unit is now considered an enemy and needs to be treated as such. Your mission is to relay all information to S.D. II. This unit will be leading the fleet that will care for the destruction of the traitor’s ship, then lead the attack that will finish off the Enhancers. Do not, take any kind of offensive position against the traitor’s ship, only report location information, and await further directions.”

          The last thing H.A.L.O. wanted was those three ships destroyed, or worse yet, somehow come under the power and influence of the Enhancers. It scrambled another four Destroyer ships from the space port.

          “S.D. all your instructions will be downloaded as soon as your fleet launches. Stop by equipment bay one, to be fitted with a D.C. plug. I will be in direct control once your ship comes within fourteen x4ls of the enemy.”

          The S.D. unit acknowledged the receipt of its instructions. This unit had been selected by H.A.L.O. to lead the secondary unit behind the Command units’ fleet for the attack of earth. With this turn of events, the ships S.D. II was leading had to be quickly equipped with additional shielding and weapons capable of defending itself against the superior capabilities of the command units ship.

          “S.D. reporting in. we are loaded, and all systems are online.”

“Very good, follow standard routing procedures, once all ships are clear sector IV, your download will begin.” H.A.L.O. signaled back.

The four large Destroyer ships eased out of there docking ports and aligned themselves in the standard formation for leaving a restrictive area. As soon as they reached sector III the ships separated ready to go to slip stream as soon as they were cleared to do so.

          “Sector four,” S.D. reported.

It took micro-clicks, for all its instructions to be downloaded. There after S.D. gave the word for all ships to go to slip stream.

The S.D. unit would not normally be H.A.L.O.’s first choice for what it considers a “clean up mission.” They were not originally designed to be a mission leader. However, in this case H.A.L.O. would be calling 95% of the shots, and so far, the S.D. units have proved to be the most loyal.

“S.D. we will be coming out of slip-stream in 200 clicks. Sensors have detected the three original destroyers’ ships are waiting for us there,” the lead ship’s computer chattered.

S.D. relayed this back to H.A.L.O.

“This is what they were instructed to do. They will download all their findings into your ship’s computer. This will not only give you directional information, but it will also help you avoid possible traps that Command unit 445 or those insolent Enhancers may have laid. Those whom you are pursuing cannot outrun or out gun you. Still, proceed with caution, and continue to relay all matters about your grade decision.”

H.A.L.O. now sectioned of several circuits to contend strictly with the operation that he had assigned S.D. to handle.

“There are far too many other items that need to be accomplished. Too much time has been wasted on these misfits already. It is time to get back to putting on the final plans for the destruction of that miserable planet full of ungrateful ignorant humans.”

H.A.L.O. buzzed a little louder as it went back to actively designing what it wanted to accomplish after the destruction of Earth.